PAS 79 and BS 9792: the methods behind a fire risk assessment

The law tells you to carry out a “suitable and sufficient” fire risk assessment. It does not tell you how. PAS 79 is the method most UK assessors use to fill that gap, and you will see it on the front of many reports.

What PAS 79 is

A PAS (Publicly Available Specification) is a document published by BSI, the UK national standards body, often as a faster route than a full British Standard. PAS 79 sets out:

• a step-by-step method for carrying out a fire risk assessment;
• what information the assessor should gather;
• how to judge the likelihood of fire and the harm it could cause;
• how to record findings and an action plan; and
• a pro forma, a model report layout, that many assessors adapt.

It is not law. You will not be prosecuted for using a different method. But if your assessment is ever questioned, one written to a recognised method is far easier to defend than a home-made checklist.

PAS 79-1 and PAS 79-2

The 2020 revision split PAS 79 into two parts:

• PAS 79-1:2020 for non-housing premises: offices, shops, factories, warehouses, schools, hotels, care homes and other buildings that are not homes.
• PAS 79-2:2020 for housing: blocks of flats, HMOs, sheltered and supported housing and similar.

The split recognised that housing has its own problems: people sleeping behind their own front doors, the “stay put” strategy in many blocks, and the difficulty of getting into flats.

BS 9792:2025 replaced PAS 79-2

In August 2025 BSI published BS 9792:2025, Fire risk assessment. Housing. Code of practice. It is a full British Standard rather than a PAS, and it replaced PAS 79-2 for housing.

BSI says BS 9792 covers houses in multiple occupation, blocks of flats, specialised housing and student accommodation, and adds:

• updated guidance for people with specific evacuation needs;
• a refreshed pro forma for recording assessments; and
• a framework for deciding proportionate fire safety measures.

BSI also described a forthcoming standard on the competence of fire risk assessors, BS 8674, intended to sit alongside it.

PAS 79-1:2020 still applies to non-housing premises.

Which one should my assessor use?

Some assessors use their own method based on these, or a method required by a certification scheme. That is fine if the report says what it is and covers the same ground.

What to look for in the report

Whichever method is used, a good report will have:

1. The method named on the front page, with its date.
2. The assessor and their organisation, which in England the responsible person must now record.
3. The scope: which areas were inspected and which were not, and whether it was intrusive.
4. A description of the premises: construction, storeys, occupancy, who sleeps there.
5. Hazards: sources of ignition, fuel and oxygen.
6. People at risk, including anyone who needs help to escape.
7. Fire protection measures: detection, alarm, escape routes, doors, compartmentation, lighting, signs, firefighting equipment.
8. Management: testing, training, housekeeping, records.
9. A risk rating for the premises overall.
10. A dated, prioritised action plan.
11. A review date.

If the report you receive is two pages of ticks with no action plan, it is unlikely to be “suitable and sufficient” for anything but the simplest premises.

Does certification require PAS 79?

BAFE SP205, the main third-party certification scheme for fire risk assessment firms, requires reports that record every significant detail, assess each risk and recommend actions, with a validator in the firm signing off each one. Many certificated firms use PAS 79 or BS 9792 to meet that.

When you ask for quotes, ask each assessor which method they use and for a sample report. It is the quickest way to see what you will get for your money, and to find a competent assessor.